February Frolics


Bridge over Troubled water? Group at Salford Quays Horns Norman? Peter cheats with umbrella. Salford Boardwalk? Salford Quays Salford Trail and group Time for Lunch Town and country
The Salford Trail. Part 1.

Wednesday February 2nd. 12 miles. 18 people.

The Ploddders.




The “Plodders” is a new concept for the East Lancs. They purport to be “strollers”, putting on slightly easier walks with a more relaxed attitude. This is a con!!!!



These lads are the elite, the East Lancs’ “special forces outfit”.



Have you seen the size of the sandwiches these lads eat? Have you seen how many of them they eat? And they still walk after it!!! Be warned. These walks are not for the faint-hearted.



We met around eleven at the Metro Exchange tram stop in Salford Quays. I have to hold my hands up and say I was one of those running late. I had phoned Bill on my mobile to explain and find out what the route was so I could catch up. He explained that they were behind schedule as well. It turned out we were sat three seats apart from eachother on the same tram!!!



The first part of the trail is fascinating for its Salford heritage and the incredible development that has gone on there in recent years. We passed the Copthrone Hotel, Trafford swing bridge, Exchange Quay offices, Colgate Palmolive Soap factory and over the Hulme/Salford footbridge to the Mark Addy pub. This is where our “steel” was first tested. Reg had arranged for sandwiches but these were the proverbial “door stops”. Each slice of bread was an inch thick and the filling nearly the same! Plus bowls of chips and dip and tea and coffee!!



Here we left the riverside and crossed the City, marvelling at the railway arches, Sacred Trinity Church, Bentley’s Calendar Bowl Manufacturers and the incredible skyline before we reached the banks of the murky waters again. We could have been out in the country as we picked up the old Irwell Valley Sculpture Trail (Norman has pledged to put this on for us) and through to Broughton and Kersal Moor with its stunning St Paul’s Church. The views from the promontory here we were quite stunning. But Reg hadn’t finished yet and we had another café stop with more sandwiches than we could handle and toasted teacakes!



Waddling on we could now marvel at the ruins of the Bolton/Bury/Manchester canals, Clifton viaduct and aqueduct, the roaring M62 and the seemingly defunct Pilkington Tiles Factory. We finished in Clifton Country Park near the old Agecroft Colliery.



Well done the East Lancs SAS - (Super Action Sarniescoffers!)



Mark Addy (1838-1890) was one of Salford's most legendary sons, famed in his lifetime for rescuing no fewer than 50 persons from drowning in the River Irwell. Born at the Parsonage in Blackfriars Street in 1838, as a young lad he assisted his father in the running of his boat hire company, so that, though he could not swim, was no stranger to water. His first rescue was at the age of 13, when he waded in up to his chin to drag a small boy to safety.

After 33 rescues over a period of 25 years he was awarded the Albert Medal First Class by Queen Victoria in 1878; he had already been awarded the Bronze and Silver Medals of the Royal Humane Society, as well as the Gold Medal of the Royal Humane Society of the Salford Hundred. As an adult he owned the riverside Boathouse Inn. Eventually he succumbed to the River Irwell, when, after his last rescue he suffered a fatal illness brought on by swallowing the heavily polluted waters and he died on the 9th June 1890.

A pub bearing his name exists today on the Salford Bank of the River Irwell.





Castleshaw Circuit. Sun Feb 6th. 20 miles from Blackstone Edge Ldr. Andy Griffin



Fifteen walkers set off from Blackstone Edge in high winds towards Delph. Dropping down to Lydgate the walk continued to Longden Brook before climbing over to Ogden for a mid-morning break. Thankfully the rain kept off and the winds eased as we climbed up to Crompton Moor and Grains Bar.

The walk descended into Delph for a quick stop before heading up to the Roman Fort at Castleshaw and lunch. On this section we had to negotiate a swollen stream which caused much hilarity and wet feet but this was nothing compared to after lunch when we got on the Pennine Way at Standedge. The wind was dreadfull and it took a great effort to stand up never mind walk! This turned the walk into a test of endurance. Thankfully once the path moved away from the edge the wind became bearable.

Without any mishap we made it back by 4.45, a little later than expected. It was good to see new faces and walk in an area not often visited by the club.





Barley to Barnoldswick – Pendle Way Pt 1.

Wednesday February 9th 2011



22 persons and 1 coach driver. 12 miles.

Ldr : John Pickton




We did have a little early morning confusion about which car park we had to assemble in at Barnoldswick. It being a LDWA event it was of course the FREE one! They say that those who live closest will always arrive last and June didn’t let us down! Still she won everyone round with that smile.

The forecast was for a steady improvement in the weather from lunchtime onwards and thankfully it came a bit earlier than that. So a wet start saw everyone stripping layers off before twelve and we had a rather pleasant afternoon. Bob and Pete kept up their amazing record of finding bacon butties in the middle of nowhere yet again, this time in the café at Barley. Morning delights included the Sabden Valley, Roughlee Hall, Mrs Shackleton the diarist’s Pasture House and on into Barrowford. Here John clocked up several bonus points with a stop at the very impressive Heritage Centre and its café. Many of us will be back there for another look on a summer’s day.

The afternoon took in Blacko Moor and Tower, Admergill Hall and the long and steady climb up Weets Hill before dropping down to Barnoldswick and the Bancroft Mill Museum. Many of us have looked forward to doing the Pendle Way as a full route for some time and John got us off to a cracking start. Certainly that seemed to be the consensus of opinion as we stretched our legs and whet our lips post-walk in the Anchor Inn at Salterforth.
Chris makes it across It's windy up here! Walking in the rain Watch your step!